With Welbeck back for Arsenal where does this leave Giroud?

Olivier Giroud scored his 100th Arsenal goal against BATE in the Europa League, after starting every Group game for the Gunners, but now that Danny Welbeck is back from injury and he is set to start tonight’s game in Cologne at the expense of the Frenchman.

Olli has been recast as Arsenal’s supersub since the arrival of Laca, coming on late and generally scoring, but back at the start of the season when Welbeck was fit to play, Giroud was still left on the bench. It is possible that Wenger is just playing Welbeck tonight to give him some match fitness before returning to our Premier League starting XI, which would mean that Olli could return to the Europa League side for the rest of the campaign.

Arsene Wenger made it clear that Welbeck should be a certainty to go to the World Cup with England, but he needs to be playing first-team football regularly, and most importantly stay fit as well. Le Prof said: “Danny has the potential to go. If he is fit, he will go. I am convinced of that.

“It is a big year for him but I want it to be a big year for him for Arsenal. Because a consequence of that… the best way to go to the World Cup is not to think ‘I have to prepare for the World Cup’, it is to do well for your club and after you automatically are in the national team.”

This can only mean that Welbeck is expected to slot back into the Premier League squad, but with Lacazette, Ozil and Alexis fit, I can only see Welbeck becoming our 70th minute substitution which will negate any chance of Giroud playing his usual role of supersub.

How will Wenger endeavour to jkeep them both happy and make sure they both get game time to impress their national team bosses?

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5 Comments

  1. Since Welbeck has just recovered, Giroud might start. Giroud has saved Arsenal with his headers so many times, but Arsenal need more mobile strikers like Welbeck and Lacazette.

    The good thing about Welbeck and Lacazette is they can play as winger or attacking midfielder behind a striker, whereas Giroud is limited as a target man. We could argue that Giroud has scored a lot for France and Arsenal, but there is a reason why big teams like Barcelona, Manchester City and Real Madrid prefer to use more mobile and skillful forwards (like Suarez, Aguero, Ronaldo, etc).

    As long as Arsenal have difficulties in scoring from open plays, Giroud’s headers would always be needed. He is very strong and always reliable when Arsenal need to change their attack type.

  2. Why don’t we have articles on here that actually say something different from the same old recycled verbiage , just under a new heading with the words and sentences shuffled around to try (in vain) to disguise the fact that we have read the “same old say nothing” article before, just in different form. We could, as well, have meaningful discussions on the following for example: What is it we fans actually support when we say we support Arsenal? Is it the history, the current players and if so , all of them, Walcott included? Is it the owner, directors(horse laugh!), manager, modern “classy” way of acting (another horse laugh) So what exactly? Is it the bond between clubs and fans, which is so much weaker than in the older days, when you could actually talk to the players, as I and we oldies used to do at away games, when the players would come outside the players entrance and give us free complimentary tickets? (Thanks, Frank McL, Big Raddy, Jon Sammels, Geordie Armstrong , Bob Wilson etc) I have often asked myself that question and the only answer I can really believe is, it was the great classy way the club always behaved; the treatment of its ex -players, its fans, its name for innovation, its great name and yes, of course its honourable -though sometimes not especially talented players, who did however, ALWAYS give their utmost every game, to win – those things , plus the great kit and red /white colour and Highbury and its atmosphere. Yes, I remember when Highbury was buzzing esp at nights under those unique floodlights. So what remains of those great things? Some things certainly remain and still, right now, plenty of highly talented but largely only half motivated players, who mostly love huge wages far more than the honour of wearing our legendary shirt. That is just one topic and I have many other ideas but frankly, I find that I now inhabit a different world than the one in which many young Gooners and other teams fans live. I am only trying to be honest in writing thus. I also remember going to games at Arsenal and at Spurs with my pal next door who was a Spurs fan. Two shillings to get in back in the early sixties and earlier and 6 old pence for a prog which many of us collected , both home and away progs. In those non hateful days fans were not separated and did not need to be. I miss that cameraderie with fans from other clubs, esp which we often received after away games in the other teams supporters clubs, as guests of their own fans. And be bought and buy them back, drinks. Most fans , even now are friendly and decent but the oafish few percent spoil so much for everyone. If you can’t conduct friendly team rivalry without bitter personal hatred and spite -when TRUE hatred should be reserved only for terrorists, racists , bigots and low life oiks (from wherever they come and who ever they support, even if it is Arsenal,) then you are not a fully civilised human being, in my opinion. Sorry if I bore but there are many other topics to discuss, other than the mere day to day(and repeat endlessly!).

    1. Hi Jon, we are like minded and very likely because we are similar ages. I remember as you do, every single player giving his all in every game, whether he was really talented or just a fairy steady player. We did have some of those back then mixed in with talents like Frank Mclintock, John Radford, Ray Kennedy, Peter Simpson, Peter Storey, wee Geordie Armstrong, Rice, McNab, Nelson and the list goes on. Sammels was crap by the way?(Fever Pitch). North Bank, South Bank and eventually a season ticket front row upper west stand, North bank end. I cried at Wembley when we lost the league cup 3-1 to Swindon. Oh those Fairs Cup midweek games, the 1970 final when we beat Anderlect 3-0 after loosing 3-1 at their place, dancing on the pitch afterwards when we lifted the cup. Doing the double the following season and being on the shelf at spurs place when Kennedy scored right at the end to win the league. I could carry on but it’s all in the past, when players tried in every game and the money was nothing like now. Pride in my team and hating spurs, not real hate of course, but they were the enemy, still are, but I respect the way they are now playing. At the end of the day I support my team, whoever plays for them and however they play. I bitch and moan but whoever plays, whoever is the boss or in charge and on the board, I support Arsenal the football team and always will. Money and big business has ruined the working classes game of football.

      1. What a lovely and nostalgic post . A great reminder of the days when we were young. My group of friends stayed out all night after winning he title at WHL in ’71 and about 4am next day were reading ALL the papers bought at Kings Cross station. Great days. And I cried too after losing to Swindon but shed tears of joy after the Anderlecht two legged Fairs Cup final at Highbury1970. For years afterwards I had a blade of grass from WHL in ’71, put in a photo album, until it was just a barely discernable stain.

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